The man with a PHD in PAIN!
by cloud4321
Summary: This is about the chainsaw wielding guy...By: AnotherSomebody and SpeedMetalHead


One bright morning, I was standing on my front porch ( me, Dr. Salvadore) ,when I heard screaming coming from just beyond the property line of my outpost.  
I ran down the hill to see what was going on. I could not help thinking that something horrible had happened. When I reached the village, there were strange men in cloaks chanting " To live is to die..." over and over again.  
And then I saw it. Five of the strange men had my wife and son and they were carrying them off towards the secret tunnel in the building beside the town's lookout tower.  
That was when the feeling kicked in... I was so angry I could not contain my explosive rage.  
I was going to make them pay for laying their filthy hands on my family. Suddenly, I spotted a chainsaw in a corner and grabbed it. This would be my weapon, I would make them all suffer!

I travelled down the front of the village, Many of my friends were running and screaming as they tried to defend themselves. Most attempts to escape were useless. They were as vulnerable and scared as my family. I saw many close friends being taken but all I could think about was my family. I quickly caught up with my families' pursuers. I revved up the blade of the chainsaw and felt the greatest sense of fulfilment as it tore through my first victim's head. I was unstoppable!  
I continued my vendetta across the village with my victims blood covering my body. I followed my family as they screamed in terror. On the far end of the village I travelled to a building which had a path to the church. Near the end of the village the building was guarded by many of my new enemies. My family were there as I could sense them. One head after another fell as I made my way towards my family's captors...  
As I reached the door, I could not hear any sound coming from inside. They had already left. I went inside and travelled to the back room hoping to find the exit they must have used to escape the building. A trap door lay open before me. I quickly jumped down the trap door without any thought as to whether there was a ladder. A long tunnel lay before me. Almost immediately I quickly made my way through the tunnel. This took me some time. Near the end two cloaked men stood guarding the exit. I pulled the starter on the chainsaw and it roared into life. They looked up at me but before they could defend themselves their lives ended with two swift strokes. Their necks were opened and blood dripped to the floor. They probably didn't feel the pain because of the speed they were killed . They deserved nothing from me so I continued onwards. My wife and son were nowhere in sight, so I increased my pace. I sprinted up towards the church and found more of the mysterious men. They screamed to the others in the church and they quickly filed out.  
I tore through the face of the first one to attempt a strike. The second fell to the ground, trying to hold in his innards.  
The rest tried to attack all at once, but with a spin I ruined their frail bodies.  
I then heard screams from in the church and I rushed in to my family's aid. They were on the second floor, being carried off by more men in cloaks.  
I hurriedly climbed the ladder which was quickly blocked off by five men.  
I went to restart my blade but it wouldn't catch. There was no fuel left.  
Two of them lunged toward me with scythes. I side stepped the one on the left, grabbed the hilt of his weapon, and thrust it upwards into the base of his chin.  
I killed three more with quick slices of my new weapon. I turned to kill the last one but he was nowhere to be found.  
I heard a voice " behind you, you idiot" and I was thrust off of the second floor. I hit the ground and everything went dark...

When I came to, I was in a room, strapped to a chair. I scanned my surroundings quickly. There was another person with me, on another chair. I didn't know his name but he seemed familiar.  
Suddenly the door burst open and a man with a staff cam in followed by four others.  
" I see you would betray us," he said to the man behind me," you shall find it's not so easy to terminate a contract with the Los Illuminados Luis. Just look at how quickly Pueblo fell. Soon you will join us too."  
" I promised to work for you in order to increase the knowledge of parasitic life forms, not to terrorize the globe with their possessive powers. Las Plagas is not a toy Saddler, you c-"  
"SILENCE! Take him away!"  
The men untied Luis from the chair and dragged him out the door. The man named Saddler then turned to face me. He looked at me long and hard. He was silent. I looked back I was mesmerized for a moment. He began to smile before he began to speak again.  
" You put up quite the fight. You killed many of my precious zealots. I might have some use for you after the parasite has hatched."  
" Where... is... my family!" I could barely speak because of a horrible pain in my face.  
" I wouldn't know, perhaps they were taken to the castle for processing."  
I went to speak again but suddenly an explosion pierced the air. Zealots ran around outside looking for the perpetrator.  
"LUIS!" Saddler marched out of the house.  
I struggled with the ropes and managed to free myself from the chair.  
I stood up but as soon as I went to turn my head, the pain in my face erupted.  
I staggered over to a sink in the corner and vomited. I then looked up into the mirror and didn't recognize what I saw. I nearly screamed at what I saw I couldn't bare it.  
Staring back at me was a horribly disfigured mess of a face. I had to stop myself from gagging again.  
I turned around to scan the room. I saw an empty potato sack on a shelf and grabbed it. Using a sharp rock, I made two slits for eyes. Then, slowly and carefully, I donned my mask. I wouldn't want my family to see what I had become. I then thought what if this has happened to them, what if they had worse?  
Another explosion outside caught my attention again. I rushed out into a chaos of men trying to put out fires. One of them spotted me and called to the others. They instantly stopped what they were doing and prepared for a fight.  
I noticed that one of them had apparently refilled my chainsaw and was using it as a weapon. He was the first to strike.  
I ducked the blow and kicked him in the back of the knees. He fell to the ground and dropped my weapon I quickly equipped my weapon which I then used to decapitate him.  
Then, with my weapon back in hand, I killed the rest brutally. Their screams motivated me to continue, it was like a symphony of cruelty. My blade dug through cloak, flesh and bone.  
Once more, I was soaked in the blood of my enemies but I was strangely I was satisfied.  
My face erupted into a waterfall of pain and blood once more and I fell to my knees. I needed something to ease the pain but there were no such drugs nearby.  
Suddenly a voice rang out, " Need a hand strangah?"

I spun to face the man from whom the voice came. He was fairly short, sporting a long, hooded coat and a scarf around his face. I lifted my weapon to make him back off. He asked me again

" Need a hand strangah?"  
My face surged with pain once more and I wondered

" How could that fall have caused so much damage to my face?"  
The man in the coat bent down to look me in the eyes. " I see that you have a mighty injury, I can help you to ease the pain, but it'll come at a price!"  
I tossed him the small amount of money I had in my pocket, hoping it would buy me what I needed to escape the pain.  
" Not quite enough, but seeing as you're a local, and in need, I'll offer you a discount strangah."  
He pulled a needle from inside his coat and drove it into the side of my neck.

" This will make it all go away strangah.."  
After a couple of seconds, my vision became more fixed and I could stand up again.  
" That's a brutal weapon you carry there strangah, I could tune it up if you like."  
" I gave you all I have already." I impatiently told him. I was about to turn around before he helped me out again.  
" That's alright, I'm in a charitable mood." he took my chainsaw and began to take it apart.  
About five minutes later, he handed it back to me and said

" That baby should last a lot longer now, I've made it much more fuel efficient. It should last you another day or so."  
I then bid the man farewell after giving him my thanks and headed off towards the gate of the Salazar family. In my sleep, the cult members had apparently dragged me all the way to the ski lifts.  
I managed to climb over the walls and began my way up the path.  
Men were loading supplies into a truck, it looked like explosives. These men weren't the ones I saw before, however, but they were my own people. They were doing the bidding of that cruel man and I didn't understand why.  
I didn't want to have to slay my friends. I was confused so I climbed down the hillside and into the moat. After I reached the other side, I noticed a large drainage pipe that lead deeper into lower parts of the Salazar palace.

I knew I had to get in, my family depended on me getting to them in time. I headed down the pipe slowly just in case I would alarm anyone in the area. I was still not strong enough to fight again so soon.  
As I walked through the pipe, I heard a grunting noise far off in the distance. I slowly rounded the corner and spotted one of the most grotesque living things I had seen in my life...  
This creature walked like a man but it had something growing out of its back. It almost looked like some kind of bacterial infection on a massive scale.  
I stepped slowly, but didn't seem to know where it was going. It then turned to face me and I could see the reason why. It's eyes behind a helmet were sewn shut.  
I stepped in a puddle and the beast cried out in my direction. He charged forward, claws extending from his forearms.  
I lightly stepped to the other side of the tunnel before he drove his bladed arms into the place I once stood. This creature's senses seemed to work purely on sound.  
I then proceeded to carefully make my way away from it, using the flickering lights to guide myself away from puddles. I only needed to get far enough away that he couldn't catch me if I ran.  
That's when the lights died, everything was cast into darkness. It was to the advantage of the creature seeing as I worked mostly with sight, not sound.  
I stopped moving for fear of making another noise, and I heard the creature's ragged breathing as it made its way closer to me. I stood perfectly still, hoping he would pass me by. After a few seconds, I couldn't hear him anymore.  
The lights suddenly came back to life and there he was, standing about three inches from my face. He yelled again and made a swipe at my head, which I barely managed to duck.  
He charged at me once more but this time he caught his arm into the wall. He was stuck.  
My strength came back I was ready to kill again. I took advantage of those few seconds and started my chainsaw. When the blade was purring with its craving for blood, I drove it into the creature's back. The beast screamed out in pain as I dragged the blade down his spine. I swiped at it again and again it was screaming, I could feel its pain but there I had no sympathy.  
When I was finished, he lay on the ground in a crumpled mess of flesh and blood.  
Realizing how much time I'd just spent, I picked up the pace and began to run down the tunnel. I ran around a corner where I took a turn it was a dead end. I cursed under my breathe and quickly turned around. Near the creature I had slain there was another turn I had not noticed. I quickly ran around the corner. Soon I could see a light and a ladder.  
I ascended out of a trap door to find myself in a great hall complete with massive stone columns and an overlooking balcony.  
Two zealots stood guarding the hallway onward. They only saw me for about three seconds before they died . I drove my blade into their bowels.  
Through the hall there was a door. I went through the door and the room was huge. At the end of the room was rail cart, waiting to be boarded. Suspiciously I stepped on and closed the door, the cart started up, I sat down and began my way along the tracks...

The cart stopped and I slowly got out. There was a door that lead to a forked hallway. I could either go left right or forward.  
Seeing as time was of the essence, I chose the middle path. I turned a corner and spotted about fifteen men at the other end of the hall. I wondered if I should have taken another path but time was precious.  
These men had metal face masks and some of them even had wooden shields.  
I started up my blade again and began to walk forward. As soon as they noticed me they got ready to attack. They lowered themselves behind their shields and marched towards me. One of them ducked down as the one behind him hurled his scythe at me.  
I cut the staff in half and charged. One of them began to swing his mace but my chainsaw went through his shield and into his knees. I then spun clockwise to knock the other surrounding zealots to the ground.  
One of the men knocked me back with his shield and I landed on the ground. I luckily managed to roll to the side as another scythe hit the floor.  
When I stood, I counted six men that were still standing. I jumped forward and sliced the arms off of three of my attackers. The three others were disabled by stabs to their legs.  
Every one of the men was one the ground but still alive. I mounted them on the wall in a line and started up my chainsaw again. Starting at one end, I dragged the blade across the wall, ripping through their bodies until there were no more.  
I turned to go through the door at the end of the hall but I was grabbed by something. I was carried out of the window and far off to the top of the highest tower. Whatever this thing was, it was taking me to its master...

My captor dropped me in the tower and revealed itself, it was insect-like with large glowing eyes. It climbed up to stand beside its master, Saddler.  
" You, are becoming quite bothersome. If las plagas fully develop soon, I'll have to dispose of you."  
I stood up and stared him in the eyes." Where is my family!"  
" You're wife was taken to the Island." he said  
"Where is my son you bastard!"  
" Children are weak," he began," they would only get in our way."  
He had killed my son, my life. He was going to be my assistant one day. I was fixated on making Saddler suffer for what he'd done to my life.  
Saddler stepped off of his throne and began to come closer. His hand reached out and an enormous pain erupted in my chest, causing me to fall to the floor again. There was something living inside of me and it felt like it was trying to get out.  
" Aarrghhhh!" I was screaming from the pain." What.. IS THIS!"  
" This is the power of las plagas. Yours is not fully developed so I can't take full advantage of your symptoms, but I can make you suffer."  
My chainsaw was still in my hand, I knew if I could work through the pain, I could get close enough to land a blow. I stood up again and limped towards him.  
From under his cloak, an enormous tentacle extended out and struck me on the side of the head. I t didn't penetrate the skin, but it was a hard enough blow to knock me off of the balcony.  
I landed in a pile of bodies, decaying and mouldy.  
" I have to take care of a rat now," Saddler called out, " for now, you can play with my children."  
He then walked across the balcony and out of the room.  
Then, I heard a noise from the corner. Several little spider-like creatures crawled out of the walls and began to click their way towards me, with small tentacles slithering about their bodies.

The creatures were getting ever closer and I still hadn't reacted. Their movement was hypnotic and I couldn't bring myself to budge.  
I pulled myself out of the trance as one of the spiders latched on to my leg, tentacles flailing towards my head. I kicked it off and started my chainsaw. Dragging my blade across the floor, I killed the spiders one by one. But no matter how many I killed, there was always another one to take its place.  
I was growing tired, I couldn't keep up any longer. The spiders were beginning to crawl up my body and I felt as if it was the end.  
Then, from above, something blue flew through the air and hit the ground with a blinding flash. All of the spiders instantly disintegrated and a rope was cast down.  
I climbed as fast as I could because the spiders were already regrouping. I reached the top, exhausted. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears.  
I looked up and standing in front of me was the man named Luis.  
" Your lucky I came this way." he said." I was only heading to the boats but I figured it wouldn't hurt to save you."  
" Thanks." I said." You mentioned something about boats?"  
" Yes, there are a few boats in the lower docks that can take us to the Island, assuming that's where you're going."  
" Yes, I need to save my wife."  
We crossed the balcony and went through the door on the far side of the chamber. It lead to another balcony, this one being outdoors.  
To the side, there was a rope, which we climbed down to reach the lower levels. After that there was an elevator which lead to the docks.  
As we walked through the tunnel, we heard laughing. I motioned for Luis to stay behind and I cautiously moved forward.  
Seven zealots guarded the boats, four on the left, three on the right. Wasting no time, I charged forward, started my chainsaw once more.  
Before they knew it, two of the men were already dead, lying on the floor in pieces.  
The other five formed a circle and three of them charged at once. A quick duck allowed the idiots to cleave themselves to bits. The last two charged.  
One of them managed to tackle me in the gut whilst the other readied his weapon.  
On the ground, I was helpless. Before the zealot could lower his scythe, two shots rang out. The man standing above me fell to the ground, exposing a hole in the back of his head while the one beside me did the same.  
" 'Bout time you stepped in." I called to Luis but there was no reply. I rounded the corner and saw nothing. Luis was gone. The only thing in the hallway was a letter. I couldn't read the words because they were in english, but it was signed with a lipstick kiss.  
Tucking the letter into my trousers, I headed back towards the boats. After choosing my vehicle and starting the engine, I drove off to the Island, and my wife...

The waters were rocking the boat back and forth as I made my way to the Island. Small pains were making their way across my face which made it hard to drive in a straight line. The drugs were wearing off and I needed to hurry up.  
I reached the shores and climbed out of the boat, which was difficult in my frail state. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of finding my wife.  
I made haste as I passed beneath the cave ceilings. There wasn't much time, if any at all.  
I eventually came to an outpost of some kind. Men were running about, operating machinery and setting up gun turrets. It seemed almost as if they were preparing for a war, which was exactly what I was going to give them.  
I crept along the rocky walls, trying not to give away my position. My path lead me directly behind a group of men conversing about a woman.  
I wasted no time in starting my blade which made them all turn to face me.  
It must have been frightening, seeing a man covered from head to toe in blood with his face covered in a mask and a chainsaw in his hand. At least that's the impression they gave me as they screamed when my weapon connected with their faces.  
Legs and arms flew as I hacked at the helpless soldiers. They deserved no mercy.  
Two large men with huge guns came through a door on the far side of the camp. They quickly spotted me and began to fire their weapons.  
Luckily, their aim was horrible and I managed to find a safe cover. I was inside one of the buildings with a turret which gave me an advantage.  
I climbed up the ladder in the back to the second floor and mounted the turret. This allowed me to quickly dispatch the two gunmen.  
I heard a grunting sound as a man aimed an RPG in my direction. He fired the rocket and the building exploded as I leapt from the top.  
Out of ammo, the "rocketeer" was helpless as I charged and rammed my blade into his chest.  
The area was cleared and I proceeded onwards. The camps beyond were desolate and silent as I walked through.  
My path ended at a set of doors. I pushed through into the laboratories of the los illuminados.

The hall stank of dead bodies and mouldy food. It was as if nobody was using it for its original purpose anymore.  
I dragged myself along the walls, my facing pulsing with frequent surges of pain. I could also feel something moving in my chest which definitely worsened my situation. If Saddler was telling the truth, this thing inside of me was going to give him control over me just like everybody else.  
I heard noises up ahead. They were footsteps, and they were coming closer. I knew there was no way in hell I could defeat them in my condition so I push into one of the lockers on the wall.  
The footsteps came closer and I soon saw them through the slits in the locker door. It was two men, each holding a set of chains which were attached to two more of those blind abominations.  
They sniffed the halls for life but thanks to the smell, they couldn't detect me. After a few minutes, they continued they're path down the hall.  
I was about to leave my hiding space when I heard shouts and gunshots. The screams were ones of pain and I wondered if they had found and killed another survivor.  
The noises stopped and I could hear nothing. Soon, I heard footsteps, coming rapidly closer.  
A woman in a red dress was coming down the hall. I held my breath, hoping she wouldn't hear me. But she was followed by Luis, who I was relieved to see.  
I pushed out of the locker and fell on to the floor. They both spun around to spot the source of the noise.  
Luis seemed to recognize me but the woman stared at me with contempt.  
" We must hurry Luis," she started," we don't have time to save another one."  
" I know this one. Before you snatched me, he was travelling with me." he turned to face me." The merchant told me to give this to you. He said you would need it."  
He extended his hand and gave me a needle. It was more of the pain killer which was perfect timing. I hastened to inject myself and was soon on my feet again.  
" What are you doing here?" I asked  
" That's none of your business! You should just go home." replied the woman.  
" Ada, this man's lost his family, he deserves a chance to salvage what he can and get his revenge." Luis scolded.  
Wordlessly, we moved through more doors at the end of the hall. This lead into a kitchen of some kind that was layered in stink.  
Through more doors we went unchallenged. The place almost seemed deserted. We eventually came to a fork, which was blocked by two large men with hammers. Ada and Luis began to shoot which had no effect.  
They turned to face us and charged. By the time they reached us, they had fallen before my chainsaw. Their blood coated the walls and their heads lay on the floor.  
Luis pointed towards the left path." That's where you want to go. You may still havetime if you hurry. We're going that way." he pointed to the right.  
We parted and went our separate ways. I was so close to finding my wife and I wasn't about to stop...

I bolted though the hall, trying not to waste a second. It was only a matter of time before my wife was converted; maybe she had already been lost.  
I came to a set of doors which lead to a lab. There was nobody in sight, everything was too quiet.  
Suddenly, there was a flash of movement. I started my chainsaw and jumped forward, it was only the automatic door.  
I looked to the right and could see a room. Through the glass, I spotted my wife, at last I had found her.  
I stepped into the room to greet her; the walls were covered in blood.  
"Is it really you?" I called out to her. She did not respond. She just stared out into blank space as if I wasn't even there.  
I called to her again, she seemed to take notice this time but she didn't seem to recognize me. It was as if I was looking at a completely different person.  
I reached out to touch her but she jumped back, grabbing a knife in the process. She took a swing at me and cut my arm, blood began to seep through my sleeve.  
She had been taken, there was no saving her. She had become the puppet of my enemies. If I knew anything at the time, it was that I wasn't going to let these bastards have my wife.  
The toughest part of my journey lay before me; I had to kill my own wife. I started the chainsaw once more and looked at the shell that used to be my wife one last time.  
She made to cut me again but I grabbed her arm. She began to scream and struggle, clawing at me with her free hand.  
I pushed her away and drove my chainsaw through her neck. I did it as quickly as possible so as to reduce her suffering to a minimal.  
My wife was dead by my own hands. She had to die, she wasn't herself anymore, but that doesn't make it any more right.  
Tears began to push through the eye holes of my mask; everything was lost to me now. My wife and son were dead, my home was in ruins, and I would soon become a puppet to those who were responsible for my pain.  
I turned away from my lost wife and left the room. I started to make my way back to the forked hall, where I could continue to make Saddler suffer…

I reached the forked hallway, there weren't any signs of life around. I went straight through the split and passed by a freezer room.  
There was a door down a hall to the left that stood ajar. I passed through it and came to room, filled to the brim with men. They spotted me and charged foreword.  
My chainsaw began to tear through their bodies one by one as they came at me in waves. Maces fell to the floor, blood sprayed the walls, and heads flew.  
More and more men poured in through the door on the opposite side. I did a spin and killed several enemies at once.  
I knew it was hopeless to go up against such a large number of foes but my anger drove me on. As long as I had control of my body I was going to destroy everything Saddler had built.  
More men fell before my blade, coating my body in yet another layer of blood. They were helpless before my might, but I was growing tired. My swings became slower and my breaths became more laboured. I was beginning to lose.  
Something struck my knee, bringing me to the floor. A man with a hammer was standing above me. In mid swing, he was stopped by my chainsaw which landed in his gut.  
I stood up and began to fight once more. I killed a few more men but then something happened.  
My body stopped killing despite my mental urges. I wanted to kill, but my body wasn't mine to guide anymore.  
I could still see and think as clearly as I had before, but I felt another presence within myself, operating my body like one would operate a crane.  
I called out words that were not my own, my voice had changed and I could not say what I wanted to say. I was powerless.  
The men stopped at the sound of my hollow voice and nodded. They knew I was no longer a threat.  
Suddenly, an explosion rocked the back of the room, many of the men went flying in a mass of blood. I was blown back by the explosion and I hit the wall.  
Ada and Luis stepped through a hole in the wall and began killing off the men who were left. I could barely see them, my vision was clouding.  
As my awareness faded, Luis bent down in front of me" Amigo, are you alright?"...

I woke up in a rust coloured room. Piles of garbage could be seen throughout the area, the smell was horrible.  
I stood up and could see Luis in the corner, holding a gun. He saw me stand up and pointed his weapon at me.  
" Don't move amigo, are you cool right now!"  
" If you mean possessed, no." I replied.  
He lowered his gun and turned away from me. " You're turning you know... it's only a matter of time."  
I looked at the floor and sighed." It doesn't matter, my family is dead and my home is in ruins... there's nothing left for me in this world other than to make Saddler suffer."  
Luis continued to look away. He was waiting for something. As if in reply to my thoughts, he spoke.  
" Ada's getting some bearings as to what we're going to encounter. We had to run pretty damn fast to get you outta there. In our rush, we fell down the garbage shoot, and there's no way up."  
Movement ahead shifted my gaze, Ada had returned. She jogged up to Luis. " There's a few regenerators up ahead, and another army of ganados." she stopped for breath." Do you still have the sample?"  
Luis nodded. What exactly the sample was, let alone regenerators or ganados, I had no clue.  
" You there." Ada said to me." Are you gonna be a good boy and follow us?"  
I stared at the floor and nodded. She didn't press the matter further, but started to walk away.  
We jumped across a pit and continued foreword.  
We were passing through a narrow hallway when suddenly that feeling came back. I couldn't control myself. My body started my chainsaw and leapt foreword, grabbing Ada's hair. It began to bring the blade towards her neck when Luis stabbed me in the arm.  
I instantly got control of my body back and fell to the floor. " I'm sorry..." I gasped.  
All was quiet for a few moments until Luis spoke up. " This is going to be a problem, here." he pulled some pills out of his pocket." This should help you suppress the parasite."  
I didn't even question what he said. I grabbed the pills and gulped them down. When my mind hadsettled and Ada had recovered, we continued through the tunnel...

The tunnel lead us to a large room with a pool of molten lava in the centre. Ada signalled to stop before we had crossed halfway through the chamber.  
" What is it?" asked Luis.  
" This is where they were, the regenerators." she replied.  
I started to ask what exactly a regenerator was, but my question was soon answered. From a small, dimly lit, booth in the corner of the room, came extremely heavy breathing. Out of the shadows stepped a naked creature, slowly it limped towards the three of us.  
I went to reach for the starter on my chainsaw but was halted by Luis.  
" Not so fast, we can handle this." he pulled out his gun and fired off a couple of rounds. The bullets tore through the creature's fragile body, ripping off limbs and exposing its insides.  
Almost instantly, small writhing tentacles burst from the regenerator's wounds. They flexed and tensed and quickly combined to create new limbs.  
" Dammit! Head for the door!" Ada cried out.  
We rushed for the exit, hearts pounding. Before we reached the door, the creature extended its arms and grabbed Ada, pulling her backwards. She fought to stay away but the regenerator was too strong.  
She was soon brought face to face with the monster, its breath falling upon her face. She pulled out her knife and thrust it into the abdomen of the creature. Tearing the beast in two, she pulled the knife upwards along its chest.  
It began to heal again, but this time I was ready. My purring blade drove into its side, cutting it clean in half. Blood sprayed across the floor and upon my face.  
I grabbed Ada and headed back to Luis. Ada left the room first, soon followed by Luis. Before I made my exit, I looked back into the room. The regenerator was healing itself again. Its legs were sprouting a torso and the torso, legs. It was multiplying.  
Out of the corner of my eye, I also spotted three more regenerators limping out of the shadows. I shut the door and blocked it off with a shovel I found in the corner, hoping it would hold them long enough for us to make our escape.  
I turned around and caught up to Ada and Luis. We, once again, made our way onwards...  
We made our way through a small corridor. Through a door at the end of the hall, we came to a fire escape. After climbing down the side of the building, we came to a small camping outpost.  
"Go over there." Luis called back to us.  
He quietly climbed a ladder leading to the top of a lookout tower after signalling to a spot on the other side of the outpost. By the time Ada and myself were in position, Luis had reached the top of the tower and quickly slit the throat of the guard.  
Luis took out his handgun and aimed at the gas tanks of a large truck slightly north of our position. He pulled the trigger and the truck burst into flames.  
I took this as a signal and rushed into a crowd of confused soldiers. The first one felt my blade rip up along his spine. The rest tried to ready their weapons but met a swift death.  
A man with a rocket launcher emerged from a tent. He crouched down to aim his weapon towards me but a small hook flew from the tip of Ada' s grappling hook and struck him in the side of the head, dragging him towards his attacker.  
Luis continued to snipe enemies as Ada and I fought on the ground. Everything was going our way when suddenly there was a loud grunting noise. The burning rubble of the truck was hurled fifty feet into the air and collided with the base of Luis' tower. The tower began to fall towards the ground, bringing Luis down with it. He managed to leap from the window on to a flagpole. He slid down the shaft of the poll and landed firmly on the ground.  
Attentions were shifted to the spot where the truck had once been. In it's place was a hulking figure, standing about eight feet tall and sporting a large double bladed chainsaw. He looked almost exactly like me. He even wore a mask like me. Other than mere appearance, something about the way he stood reminded me of something.  
Before I could work out my thoughts, he leapt into the air, coming down at near mach speed towards my location. I rolled the blow and charged forward, swinging my blade. He blocked the blow and pushed me back, knocking me off my feet.  
He drove his blade into the ground and began to drag it towards me. Before he reached my body, he was shot in the back of the head by Ada. He turned towards her and charged, but Luis blasted the back of his kneecap.  
Falling to his knees, the man cried out in pain.  
I ran towards him again and swung my blade. He once again blocked my blow, striking back. Our blades continued to clash, sparks showering the ground and lighting up the night.  
After a particularly large blow, I was sent flying backwards. I fell next to the rocket launcher left from earlier, which I picked up with great relief.  
The hulking figure leapt into the air once more towards me, at his speed, I couldn't get a shot off. In midair, Ada's grapple hook struck his back and dragged him to the ground.  
I took the opportunity and aimed the RPG towards the beast. I fired the shot but missed, it hit the wall behind him and sent him flying forwards in a smoking heap.  
He gave out a cry, and something inside me stirred. I ran forward and flipped him over. I then began to slowly pull off his mask...

I pulled off his mask and even though his facial features were as twisted as mine, I felt this was someone I knew. I stared at his face, hoping for something to spark my recognition when WHAM! I never saw the blow coming and was sent flying.

As I sat up, dazed from his assault, I realized my mask was gone. He stood glaring at me, the remnants of my mask in his hands. He was still feeling the effects from our confrontation, so he could not charge at full speed.

He took a few menacing steps towards me and came to a sudden stop. He then raised a trembling finger at me, pointing to my neck. I wore a chain on my neck that had a locket containing a photo of what was once my family. It had been given to me by my wife and son several years ago.

He stood there frozen, pointing at the chain on my neck, not moving. What was going on here? My curiosity led me to slowly remove the chain from my neck. I opened the locket, exposing the photo and gently tossed it to him. He caught the chain and stared at the small photograph. He let out a tortured scream that raised the hair on my neck. He threw the chain down to the ground and continued screaming. He turned to face me, looked me in the eye and in an almost unintelligible voice said one word, "Papá."

Luis then spoke, "Move, so I can put this beast down!"

I yelled to Luis, "NO! LEAVE HIM BE! YOU AND ADA, LEAVE NOW!"

I approached the hulking figure that had once been my son. if I were to die, then let it be by his hand. I had taken no more than a few steps, when I was brought down by several soldiers.

My chainsaw was out of reach and they surrounded me. They were holding weapons they had used to shocked and paralyze me. Their leader walked over to my son and struck him with the butt of his rifle. He pointed to me, then turned back to my son. "Idiot!" He yelled. "Why did you not finish him off!" Whack! Another strike from his rifle. "You will pay for not following Lord Saddler's directives!" Whack! Another strike from the rifle. "Take your blade and finish him now, Idiot!"

My rage was intensified, yet I could not move, every movement I made was met by an attack from the soldiers' weapons. My son went over to where the double chainsaw had been, picked it up and started it. The soldiers and their leader formed a circle around me, leaving a gap where my son made his way over to me, chainsaw raised, ready to deliver the killing blow.

I stared directly into his eyes, I was ready to die and join my wife in the afterlife.

The blade was coming down, but the death strike never came. My son whirled around at the last instant and beheaded four soldiers with one horizontal strike from his dual bladed saw. The others tried to run but were not fast enough. The blade cut one of the soldiers in half as he tried to run away. I laughed as his upper body dropped to the ground while his lower half carried on trying to run for a few steps before it dropped to the ground.

Another soldier raced towards a vehicle to try and escape. My son picked up one of the heads lying on the ground near his feet and fired it with fearsome strength and speed at the fleeing soldier's head. The two heads collided and exploded into a red mist and another headless enemy lay on the ground.

I was now able to move. A soldier leapt onto my son's back and tried to cut his throat. I grabbed the soldier by the back of his collar. He felt like a rag doll in my hands. I flung him against a wall and he crumpled in a heap, dead. Blood and brain matter stained the wall where he struck it. My rage coupled with growing plaga within me, gave me newfound strength.

I heard gunfire. I looked around and the Leader had taken position on the second level of a nearby structure. He knocked down the ladder and destroyed it with gunfire, so we could not climb the structure to get to him.

He laughed and said, "Idiots! What will you do now? You will both suffer Lord Saddler's wrath!" He pointed to my son and said, "Especially you! You are weak and worthless, I will enjoy watching you suffer!" He resumed laughing at us. After all, we had no way to get to him.

My son stood staring at him, the dual-bladed saw still clutched in his hands, the Leader still laughing. My son let out a blood curdling yell. He leapt from the ground, high into the air. The Leader's laughter turned to screams as he watch my son's leap from the ground below, to high above his once safe area.. My son raised the blade over his head as if he were going to split a log and as he came down, the leader's scream was cut short as the blade cut him in half vertically. All lay dead around us...Now what?

My son leapt down to the ground. we stood staring at each other. He placed his dual bladed saw on the ground, picked up the chain with the locket, gave it a long look, and tossed it back to me. He gave me a small nod, turned and disappeared into the dark, ignoring my calls for him to stop.

I picked up my new weapon and made my way over to the vehicle that was still there. In it was a map of Saddler's strongholds, and his Village Headquarters was identified. I knew where I had to go. I did not recognize the vehicle's controls, so I readied myself for the long journey by foot ahead.

I heard the sound of a weapon being readied to fire, followed by a woman's voice. It was Ada. She said, "Don't move. Slowly put down the chainsaw and step back." I did as she said and held up the map in my hand. "I know where Saddler can be found" I said. She tossed me a bottle of the plagas suppressing pills and told me to take several of them. She then told me to place the map on the seat of the vehicle and step back several paces. She studied the map while also keeping an eye on me to be certain the plagas had not taken control. She said, "Get in. I'll take you where you want to go. After that, I'm leaving this place. I have business to take care of."

I sat in the vehicle and we drove to Saddler's location. Ada told me that the villagers were all at church for evening services, so our trip should be without surprise. Not a word was spoken during the ride. We arrived near our destination. Ada said, "That's as far as I can take you. You're on your own now."

I got out and Ada drove off. I was certain I would never see her again. Saddler's day of reckoning would soon be at hand.

As I made my way to my destination, I saw an empty farmhouse ahead, the barn doors open wide. I stopped there to search for other weapons I could use if I needed to maintain silence. I chose weapons I could carry easily, an axe and a sickle, I strapped them to my body and went forth.

As I got close to Saddler's HQ, a group of zealots were gathered around an outdoor altar. The entrance was just beyond the altar. Several Zealots stood far outside the circle, as if they were not yet worthy to be close to the altar. All had their heads bowed, chanting. A zealot was standing near my location with his back turned to me. On the ground next to him were his shield and helmet. I crept up quietly, axe clenched tightly in my right hand. I clamped my left hand over his mouth so he could not yell, raised the axe and buried it in the back of his head, killing him before he could alert the others that I was there. I placed his corpse out of sight, and retrieved the axe from the back of his head. I went back and took his robe and helmet and put them on over my clothes. The shield fit over my forearm, freeing my hands to hold the chainsaw hidden behind the shield.

I took the dead Zealot's position and waited for the rest of the group to head back into Saddler's HQ. I would join their party and follow them to Saddler. Revenge was close at hand.

The ritual ended. Two Monks opened the giant doors from inside the building. I followed the group I was with into the building. A Zealot in Red Robes and a mask like that of a goat's head emerged, he was clearly agitated. He spoke to the Zealot who had led the ritual. "Luis and the stranger he was with are still alive! The villager who was with them is also still alive! The man-beast that was sent to destroy them, killed several of Lord Saddler's soldiers instead!" Everyone else has been sent to search out the traitors and outsiders! Lord Saddler is on his way here now. I am to meet with Lord Saddler in his private study when he arrives. Lord Saddler will reveal our next course of action to bring the way of Los Illuminados to the rest of this country and in due time, the world."

The assembled group cheered, I stood silent, my rage growing. My silence caused the Red Robed one to eye me suspiciously from head to toe. As his eyes reached the ground he stood silent for a moment, as if puzzled. I looked down and saw that my dusty, blood caked boots were no longer covered by my robe. "His shoes!" He cried out. "He is not one of us! Kill Him! Now!"

Several of the Zealots ran off, while the others tried to close ranks around me. I had held my fury inside for too long. Adrenaline surged through me unchecked. A zealot closed in on my left, his charge was met by the spikes on the shield plunged into his stomach. He flew backwards, colliding with others on my left, disrupting their attacks. The chainsaw fell from my hand due to the force of the blow. A zealot closing in on my right was greeted by a vicious elbow to the face, his nose pulped and driven into his brain.

I heard a chain rattling behind me and turned to see a zealot's mace bearing down on me. I raised the shield, which took the brunt of the blow. The shield splintered and was destroyed. Before he could recover and strike again, he received a sickle through his neck. I took my axe, turned and fired it at another would be attacker, the axe embedded in his face.

Now with both hands free and a few seconds before the zealots regrouped, I grabbed the dual bladed saw off the ground and started it. The remaining zealots were now trying to escape. No such luck. The blade chewed through flesh and bone. I felt a blow to the back of my head. I staggered a few steps, turned and saw the red robed zealot, 3 other zealots standing around him. They had ascended a staircase and were on the second floor balcony. On the ground lay the scythe that had been thrown at me, the metal helmet had protected me.

One of the zealots had lit a stick of dynamite. I picked up the scythe and threw it at him. The scythe sliced the air, heading towards him. He did not have time to move and the scythe cleanly removed his head from his shoulders. The others were in a panic and tried to run but the dynamite exploded, killing them. I made my way up the staircase to make sure they were all dead. There was no movement and I searched the 2nd floor for other enemies. None were to be found.

From the floor below me, came the sound of a male voice. "Bravo. Very Impressive." It was Saddler! I charged down the stairs at top speed, chainsaw clutched in both hands, my heart filled with hatred. I let out a rage filled scream as I drew near.

A tentacle flew from under Saddler's robe, it's piercing point bearing down on me. I did not stop or slow down. One swipe with the saw, and the end of the tentacle lay on the ground, and I was closer. Another tentacle flew out, and the blade repeated it's performance and I was closer still. A third tentacle shot from underneath his robe aimed for my chest. The saw sliced through it easily and I was within arm's length.

Another tentacle reached out towards my ankle. I swung the blade down to prevent it from grabbing me but it instead wrapped around my wrist keeping me from moving my arm. Another tentacle came at my head. I grabbed it with my free arm and struggled to keep it from it's destination. I could feel Saddler's breath, he was so close. He smiled at me, I reared back my head and drove the steel helmet into Saddler's face. A wonderful crunch was heard as he staggered backwards. The tentacles released their hold on me as he staggered back. I rushed in and swung the saw at his head, the blades ready to chew through his neck. The blade hit only air. Impossible! How had Saddler moved that quickly? I charged after him and a suit of armour that was by a wall, came to life. I tried to move out of the way, but it's sword still managed to make contact with the metal helmet I was wearing. Once again the helmet saved me. I recovered and the armadura readied for another attack, Sparks flew as steel met steel. I screamed in rage and my dual bladed saw dug into the armadura's helmet, sending it flying, sparks flew as steel met steel. The armadura collapsed in a dusty heap.

Saddler was exasperated. "Enough! What will it take to be rid of you!" Must I do everything myself!" At that he lunged at me, he was so fast I could not track his movements. He struck me in the chest and I was sent reeling, the chainsaw knocked from my hands. a tentacle wrapped around my body and I was lifted into the air and thrown against a wall. I collapsed on the ground. Saddler casually made his way over to me. Another tentacle wrapped around my body and I was flung across the hallway again. "Who are you?" Saddler inquired. "You are dressed as one of my zealots, yet clearly you are not." Once again a tentacle grabbed me and I was tossed against a wall. Saddler made his way towards me. "On your feet. Remove your helmet. I wish to see the face of the man who has caused me so much trouble before he dies."

I slowly raised myself to a standing position, and took several steps to my right. I turned towards Saddler and removed the helmet.

"So, it is you! The villager who is in search of his wife and child. The plagas has given you tremendous power. It is a shame you would not use it in my service." He drew near to my position.

"If it is of any comfort, you have caused me great pains and cost me many of my men. In a way I should thank you for sparing me the task of having to dispose of the many imbeciles you killed."

He unleashed a tentacle, aimed at my throat, I rolled to my right and the tentacle just missed me. It pierced through the robe and stuck in the wall. As I rolled free, the remnants of the stuck robe were ripped away. I picked up the broadsword from the broken armadura. I stood and buried the blade in Saddler's ribcage. I twisted the blade from side to side while it was inside him, causing as much damage as I could. He spammed in pain, but would not die. I spit in his face and told him that even if he had killed me, I would bide my time, waiting for him in hell. The blade had twisted itself in his abdomen to such a degree that I could not no longer budge it. I dragged him over to my where my chainsaw lay. I would claim his head. The chainsaw was almost in my grasp...

As I reached out for the saw I was knocked off my feet and landed in a heap, pain shooting through my body. I rolled over onto my back, still dizzy from the surprise attack. I felt a hand tighten around my neck.

I was being lifted off the ground, into the air. A giant of a man with a beard was holding me with his right hand, trying to choke the life from me. I clenched my left hand over his wrist, applying great pressure, but not trying to remove his hand from my throat. He was puzzled by my actions but he quickly understood as I took my free hand and drove my thumb into his left eye, destroying it.

Now it was he who was trying to break the hold, but I held fast and ripped the destroyed eye from the socket as he fell to his knees. I broke the arm he had tried to choke me with before leaving him in a heap. Saddler was my goal, I would continue my discussion with my new "friend" after Saddler was destroyed.

"Mendez!" Saddler cried. "Even you cannot eradicate this pest! Why have I been cursed with idiots for followers!" Somehow he had removed the twisted broadsword from his body, his face was also almost completely healed. He turned to me as I was ready to start the chainsaw. "No more of this foolishness! You have caused me grief for the last time! Now I will...hmmm...interesting...Why don't you be a good fellow and put the saw down?"

He gestured his hands at me as if I were a puppet and he was pulling my strings. My brain directed my hand to start the saw, but the hand would not cooperate. The pills were wearing off. "So, the power of the plagas is bending your will to my control. Would it not be amusing if you took the blade to your own neck. Yes, I quite like that idea. Start the blade, and put it to your own neck." I started the chainsaw and lifted it towards my neck, as directed. I tried to resist but it was futile.

After all I had endured, I would cut my own throat.

I could smell the gasoline fumes as the saw drew closer to my neck. Suddenly, the room was engulfed in a blinding flash of white light. The light must have effected Saddler as well, as his hold over me was now broken. I put down the saw, and covered my eyes from the blinding light. A blast hit me and it felt like my insides were on fire. I fell to my knees, my body in pain, the chainsaw still clutched in one hand.

A male voice, from above us, it was Luis. He yelled to me, "You look better already, my friend! Now move out of the way quickly! Hey Saddler, this next one is for you!" Saddler was in pain, his hands clutching his head. Even the giant named Mendez fell from the blast, he lay on the ground, passed out. The strange looking weapon Luis had on his arm began to glow and give off tremendous energy, It's beam fixed on Saddler. He was ready to fire when smoke and sparks shot from the weapon. "Oh no! It can't be! Not now! I don't believe this! Work, damn you!" Nothing happened. The weapon was useless.

Behind Luis there was the sound of doors opening. Several armed zealots had now gathered around Luis. Pain still racked my body and I was immobile, Saddler had partially recovered but was also very weak. He gasped several times, trying to catch his breath. He then spoke to the zealots.

"Capture him but do not slay him. He must live only to continue to his research." He then addressed Luis. "Sera, you disappoint me. Did you really believe that you could stop me by yourself?" Luis smiled. "Who said I'm alone?" He then placed his fingers to his mouth and whistled loudly. A piercing scream tore through the air followed by...silence.

All looked puzzled, Luis spoke, "hmmm...well. This is awkward...I..." He was cut off by the sound of shattering glass as a zealot broke though a full length stained glass window. The zealot landed in a heap, dead. Luis spoke again, "Thanks for deciding to show up."

A giant hulking figure entered through the shattered window. It was my son! The plagas he had been infected with had now made him even larger and more fearsome than before. A new double bladed chainsaw was also now in his possession. the zealots moved towards him, one lunged at him, but he was caught in mid-leap by my son with one hand and flung headfirst into a stone wall. The zealot's neck snapped backward as his head collided with the wall.

His body slumped to the ground, but the head was bent backwards, staring at us, a look of disbelief frozen to it's dead face. My son placed the chainsaw on the ground as the remaining zealots advanced. Why did he drop his weapon? He motioned to the zealots with his hands and spoke in a low growl. "I will not soil my blade with the blood of vermin. Who wishes to be the first to die?"

A zealot lashed out at him with a machete. My son reached out and grabbed the zealot's arm as the blade came at him. My son growled and went to yank the blade away from the zealot. Unfortunately for the zealot, he held on to the machete to tightly and his arm was also ripped off. Blood poured freely from the zealot's shoulder where the arm once was.

He freed the machete from the dismembered arm and brought the machete down on the now one armed zealot, slitting him from shoulder to lower abdomen. "Arrghh! I'm going to vomit!" said Luis. Two zealots approached, one with a shield and one standing behind him with a scythe. My son then threw the machete at the shield bearing zealot. The machete went through the shield, then through both zealots and embedded itself into a wall. Another zealot jumped into the air, a dagger in each hand. My son grabbed him by the throat in mid-leap but the zealot managed to stab him in the shoulders with the daggers, weakening the grip on his neck. My son stumbled backwards a few steps, then looked the zealot in the eye, growled and renewed his grip on the zealot's throat, lifting him high in the air. He then slowly walked over to a stone column, and held the zealot up against the column. He removed a dagger from his shoulder and rammed it through the right side of the zealot's chest and into the column. The zealot howled in pain. He then removed the dagger from his other shoulder and drove it through the zealot's stomach and into the column. He walked away, leaving the zealot to die slowly, impaled on the stone column.

"Well, that was disturbing." said Luis. The 4 remaining zealots had taken up position on the ground floor, in front of Saddler, who was starting to recover. My son began his walk down the stairs, to confront the rest of our enemies. A shot rang out and blood spewed from a zealot's head. It was Luis, he had a pistol and was firing on the remaining zealots. I struggled to get to my feet. It appeared the end of our ordeal was near...

It was Saddler and 3 remaining zealots vs. Me, my son and Luis. I staggered to my feet, but fell after a few steps. A shot rang out from Luis' pistol and another zealot fell dead. Luis aimed and fired again, but there was only a clicking sound to be heard. Luis spoke, "Of all the rotten luck! What a time to be out of bullets!"

The two remaining zealots were clearly shaken as their swords trembled in their hands. My son approached them and Saddler. Saddler spoke, "My zealots do not fear you, they are prepared to die in my service! To the battle!" Silence followed as the zealots were not quite as enthused and hesitated. Saddler expressed his displeasure by unleashing two barbed tentacles into the zealots backs and through their chests, then lifted them both in the air.

"Cowards!" He cried. He then threw the zealots at my son, knocking him off his feet and to the ground. He then let loose another tentacle that wrapped around my son. Saddler lifted him off the ground and threw him at a stone pillar. The impact caused the pillar to crack. My son fell to the ground, he was not moving. Saddler took several deep breaths, still feeling the effects of Luis' attack. He then slowly advanced towards my son, "NO!" I cried out. I had gotten back to my feet and went to grab my chainsaw. Saddler directed a tentacle at the saw, the tentacle wrapped itself around the saw, picked it up and threw it against a wall, shattering the saw. The same tentacle then lashed out at me and grabbed me, wrapping tight around me, and lifting me off the ground.

"You will watch your son die before it is your turn." Saddler said. He turned towards my son when Luis jumped from the second floor onto Saddler's back.

He stabbed Saddler in the chest with one of the daggers. Saddler's tentacle lost it's grip on me and I fell to the ground. Saddler reached up and grabbed Luis from his neck and tossed him at a second stone pillar. Luis hit the ground and rolled and came to a stop at the pillar. Luis started to get to his feet when Saddler rushed against the stone pillar in an attempt to crush Luis, but Luis dove away at the last instant, and Saddler crashed into the pillar with tremendous force, causing it to crack, and knocking himself unconscious in the process. I scrambled to where my son's new chainsaw was on the second floor, but still weak, I could not lift it. I grabbed an axe from a dead zealot and made my way down the stairs. As I descended the stairs, the stone pillars began to split and give way. Saddler's HQ was beginning to crumble to the ground. Luis came rushing towards me, "We have to get out of here before the whole thing collapses on us!"

"Leave me!" I will make certain Saddler is dead! I wish to die here, with my son and rejoin my family in the afterlife."

I took no more than a few steps and started to fall to the ground, the axe slipping from my grip. Luis grabbed me, lifted me to my feet and then led us in the direction of the door. The building was caving in on us. I mumbled, "no...Saddler..must..be..sure..he..is..dead...we need to be sure..."

We were at the door and Luis urged, "Jump!" With a final lunge we spilled to the ground outside. Luis said, "Come on, get to your feet. We have to get away from here." A voice spoke, "Leaving so soon?" It was Saddler. He had made his way towards us, he was still in a weakened state. "I don't think you'll be going anywhere." Two tentacles reached out at me and Luis. Luis was struck across the chest and went flying. The tentacle directed at me wrapped itself around me. Saddler began to drag me back into the collapsing building.

Saddler laughed as I was being dragged back into what was once his village HQ. "Hah! Pathetic! It is amusing how you..ARRRGGHHH!" Saddler had been interrupted by a sword protruding through his chest. It was a sword from one of the two zealots he had killed. The tentacle's hold was broken and I was free. An arm came around from behind Saddler and wrapped itself around his neck. It was my son! He was alive! He was choking the life from Saddler while dragging him back further into the building. That was the last I saw of them as the 2nd floor came down on top of them. Now they were both gone. Saddler was dead. My revenge against him was the only thing that had given my life meaning since he had taken away my family. Now, I had lost my son a second time and was in deep despair.

Luis approached. "How are you amigo?" He said.

"If I could, I would kill you." I replied. "It is clear that you know a great deal more about las Plagas than you have led me to believe. From the various creatures we have encountered to the weapon you had on your arm. What is your involvement with Saddler and las Plagas? Tell me now!"

Luis told me to walk with him away from the smoking heap that was once Saddler's HQ to avoid any unwanted attention. We came to a stop and Luis recounted his whole story of how he had come to be a researcher for Saddler. He talked about the experiments to alter strains of las plagas and how they would react with different hosts, such as the strain that had turned my son into such a fearsome creature. He explained that the weapon he had on his arm was being developed by him to remove las plagas from their hosts. The blast he had directed at me had returned my facial features to their former state, but that was as far as the plagas had been removed. He had used the weapon on my son to break Saddler's control over him, but it was only temporary. As for the pills, they could only suppress las Plagas, not eliminate them. If not removed, they would eventually take control of their host. He was now working with Ada and her organization to destroy Los llluminados.

I told him to leave. I wanted only to grieve in solitude, I laid on the ground, staring at the rising column of smoke from the ruins, before finally drifting off to sleep.

I do not know how long I was asleep, but when I woke, the sky was grey and a light rain began to fall. I decide to walk back towards the Pueblo and my home, not sure what I would do once I got there.

I had walked for perhaps an hour. I sat on the ground to rest. "On your feet, villager!" I turned in the direction of the voice. It was Saddler! He stepped out from behind the thick brush. "You thought me dead? Hah! You have no idea the depths of my power." I rose to my feet, anger building inside me. Saddler spoke, "Calm yourself. I do not wish to renew our quarrel. Quite the contrary, I would like you to join me and use the gifts las plagas have bestowed upon you in my service. You are a man of character and determination. You would be a powerful ally. You also defeated Mendez, who I thought nearly invincible. Heh, his arm has recovered, but not his ego. He needed a lesson in humility anyway."

I spoke, "Why would I join the man who destroyed my life and robbed me of my family. I would rather fight you and if death claims me, so be it."

"Your son is not dead. See for yourself." He motioned to the brush behind him and my son walked forward, he walked over to Saddler and stood by his side. Las plagas had taken control of him and he was now one of Saddler's minions. My son spoke, "Join us. The way of Lord Saddler is to rid the world of the sin that plagues mankind. We will punish those who serve evil."

My heart sank at my son's words. Saddler looked at me as if he was peering into my soul. He then spoke, "Why are you sad? This is a time to rejoice. Father and son reunited and working together to enlighten mankind. You will be two of my most important men, and be held in high regard and treated with great respect."

Saddler waved his hands at me and I felt a tremendous feeling of peace within my being. Perhaps the plagas within me was beginning to assert it's control. I had my fill of the evil that mankind was capable of, especially those who fooled me into believing they were my allies. Luis with his vile experiments, Ada no doubt working to capture Luis' knowledge for the evil ends of her secret organization. Yes, it was clear to me that Saddler was noble in his intentions. Saddler had given me great power. Lord Saddler had given my son unbelievable power. Yes, it would be a great honour to be in Lord Saddler's service and punish those whose goal was to commit evil. I walked forward and Lord Saddler cheered, "Welcome, brother."

Several Weeks Later...

It is sunny in the village today, praise be to Lord Saddler. There are many things to do before the bell rings for church. I walk past my fellow villagers, some are tending to their hens, others are at work in their gardens.

Several greet me as I walk past, "Hello, Doctor." they say, showing their respect. I return their greetings and continue on my way. I stop to help several men who are loading supplies for transport to the castle.

One of them hands me a fine wooden box with our Illuminados insignia carved in the top. "A gift from Lord Saddler" he says. I open the box and remove a cigar. The man offers to light it for me. I nod my thanks and carry on. I take a deep draw on the cigar and reflect on how fortunate we are to have Lord Saddler direct us. He has given our lives meaning and purpose. All praise Lord Saddler!


End file.
